Audi has debuted an e-bike, complete with a smartphone-controlled immobilizer "bike lock" and a Segway-inspired "wheelie mode".

The Audi e-bike Wörthersee concept debuted on May 11 in Germany. The concept blurs the line between a "pedelec" - a bike that supplements the rider's own pedal power with an electrically-assisted "tail wind" - and a true e-bike, where the bike supplies all the power via an integrated electric motor.

In the case of the Wörthersee, the bike allows the rider to select whatever mode he or she would prefer, with up to five programs to choose from. Riders can also select the "Pure" mode and pedal normally.

In the electrically-assisted "Pedelec Mode," a top speed of up to 80 km/h (50 mph) can be reached, with a range of between 31 and 44 miles. The eGrip mode supplies all the power with the twist of a handlebar-mounted throttle control; that mode can take the rider to speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph).

The entire bike, made of ultralight carbon fiber, weighs just 46 pounds, while Audi said that the Wörthersee's frame weighs just 1,600 grams (3.53 lb), not including a 5 kg (11.02 lb), 530 Wh lithium-ion battery that supplies the power. Audi said that the battery can be recharged from a 230-volt supply in about 2.5 hours, or swapped out with a fully-charged replacement.

Audi described the Wörthersee as the most powerful e-bike in the market - if the e-bike were to be sold, that is. At the rear wheel, the maximum torque is 250 Nm or 184.39 lb-ft, with peak output reaching 2.3 kW. A nine-speed hydraulically actuated gear shift controls the power.

The electric motor is a permanent magnet synchronous machine located at the lowest point on the frame, and drives the bottom bracket shaft directly, Audi said. In total, the power to weight ratio is 19.84 pounds per kilowatt, or 15.43 pounds per horsepower.

While Audi designed the Wörthersee's drivetrain with efficiency in mind, the drive modes allow a bit of fun. In "Wheelie" mode, the bike itself provides power to allow the rider to focus on keeping the front wheel in the air; "Power Wheelie" can adjust the wheelie angle for less experienced riders, while "Balanced Wheelie" actually adjusts the speed of the bike, braking or speeding up to actually lift the bike's front wheel off of the ground as the rider shifts his or her weight. Leaning forward speeds up the bike, while leaning back slows it down. There's even a "training mode," Audi said.

Other features include a handlebar-mounted seat height control, even as the bike id being ridden, and a long, slash-styled headlight that goes the width of the handlebars.

And there's a trip computer, of course. That's built into the frame, with an integrated touchscreen that controls the riding mode selection, recording trick sequences and adjustment of various e-bike functions such as electric pedaling assistance and lighting. The display shows road speed, distance covered, state of battery charge, energy consumption and slope angle at any given moment, Audi said.

The Wörthersee even has Wi-Fi, which communicates with the rider's smartphone via an integrated antenna. The bike even records tricks and assigns "success points," which can be used to level up challenges or used to brag on Facebook.

Finally, there's the lock - instead of a chain, the smartphone is used to immobilize the bike. No, it won't prevent the bike itself from being lifted into the back of a truck, but no one will be able to surpass your stoppie record, either.

Mark Hachman Mark joined ExtremeTech in 2001 as the news editor, after rival CMP/United Media decided at the time that online news did not make sense in the new millennium.
Mark stumbled into his career after discovering that writing the great American novel did not pay a monthly salary, and that his other possible career choice, physics, required a degree of mathematical prowess that he sorely lacked.
Mark talked his way into a freelance assignment at CMP’s Electronic Buyers’ News, in 1995, where he wrote the...
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